Self propelled toy

ABSTRACT

A SELF PROPELLED TOY AND TRACK IN WHICH THE TRACK COMPRISES A LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE LINE WHICH CAN BE LAYED ON A SURFACE IN ANY DESIRED CONFIGURATION AND/OR SUSPENDED ABOVE SAID SURFACE AND THE TOY COMPRISES A BASIC BODY UNIT AND A MOTOR CONTAINING UNIT HAVING A GUIDE WHEEL WHICH ENGAGES WITH THE TRACK, THE MOTOR CONTAINING UNIT BEING ABLE TO BE ATTACHED TO THE BODY UNIT IN TWO ALTERNATIVE POSITIONS SO THAT IN ONE POSITION THE GUIDE WHEEL IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER PART OF THE BODY UNIT AND IN THE OTHER POSITION IS LOCATED ON THE UPPER PART OF THE BODY UNIT TO SUSPEND THE TOY FROM THE LINE.

Oct. 12, 1971 s. n. sun-m SELF PROPELLED TOY 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1969 H971 5. ID. SMITH 9 SELF PROPELLED TOY Filed Oct. 8, 1969 9 Sheets-Sheet m Oct. 12, 1971 s. D. SMITH 3,611,632

SELF PROPELLED TOY Filed Oct. 8, 1969 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 12, 1971 s. 0. SMITH SELF PROPELLED TOY 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 8, 1969 Oct. 12, 1971 5, 5M|TH 3,611,632

SELF PROPELLED TOY 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 8, 1969 1971 s. D. SMITH SELF PRQPELLED TOY 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 8, 1969 @ch 12, 1971 s. 0. SMITH 3,611,632

SELF PROPELLED 'I'OY Filed Oct. 8, 1969 k 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 12, 1971 5.11:. SMITH 3 ,611,632

SELF PROPELLED TOY Filed Oct. 8, 1969 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 12,, 1971 5, SMITH 3 1L632 SELF PROPELLED TOY Filed Oct. 8, 1969 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 United States Patent Oifice 3,611,632 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 3,611,632 SELF PROPELLED TOY Sidney David Smith, 88 Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire, England Filed Oct. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 864,706

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 9, 1968,

47,884/68; Nov. 20, 1968, 55,105/68 Int. Cl. A6311 33/26 US. Cl. 46-243 13 (Ilaims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self propelled toy and track in which the track comprises a length of flexible line which can be layed on a surface in any desired configuration and/or suspended above said surface and the toy comprises a basic body "unit and a motor containing unit having a guide wheel which engages with the track, the motor containing unit being able to be attached to the body unit in two alternative positions so that in one position the guide wheel is located on the lower part of the body unit and in the other position is located on the upper part of the body unit to suspend the toy from the line.

This invention relates to a self propelled toy adapted to move along a track.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide -a toy which can move along a track formed of a length of flexible rope or cable, thereby avoiding the need for a track formed of interconnected short lengths of track.

Another object is to provide a toy and track in which the track can be laid on a surface in any desired configuration and which can be entirely or partly suspended.

It is also an object to provide a toy in which the external shape or configuration of the toy can be changed as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, there being indicative however, of but some of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a track and part of the transmission of the toy;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view of the basic body unit and motor containing unit of the y;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-section through the assembled units shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a toy according to the present invention with the motor containing unit mounted on the upper side of the body unit;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from below of a motor containing unit in position within the basic body unit;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of the toy provided with body shell parts to resemble a motor car movable along a track laid on a fiat surface;

FIG. 7 is a perspective View of the motor containing unit and basic body unit of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a section through the motor containing unit taken along the line VIII-VIII indicated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section through the basic body unit taken along the line IX-IX indicated on FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a section through the basic body unit taken along the line X-X indicated on FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the drive transmission included in the motor containing unit;

FIG. 12 shows a side view of the motor containing unit attached to the upper part of the body unit for movement along a suspended track;

FIG. 13 shows a side view of the motor containing unit housed within the body unit for movement along a track laid on the ground;

FIG. 14 is an end view of the assembly shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows a side view of the body unit and motor unit provided with a body shell to form the appearance of a helicopter;

FIG. 16 is a front view of the assembly shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a winch device which can be attached to the basic body unit;

FIG. 18 shows in section part of the motor containing unit and the winch unit, with the parts being shown in the position which they occupy when the winch is inoperative;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to that of FIG. 18 showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the winch is operative;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the body unit and motor unit provided with a body shell to give the appearance of a motor vehicle;

FIG. 21 is a front view of the assembly shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 shows the vehicle of FIGS. 20 and 21 operating on a track which is partly suspended and partly laid on a flat surface;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a skip adapted to be picked up by the vehicle to counterbalance the vehicle when moving along the suspended part of the track;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of one arm of the skip;

FIG. 25 is a section through part of the body shell of FIG. 15 showing one position of a lever device for controlling the passage of articles down a chute; and

FIG. 26 shows the lever device of FIG. 25 in another position.

Reference will be made first of all to the diagrammatic representation shown in FIG. 1. The track 10 comprises a line formed of flexible rope or cable which can be laid on any suitable surface or suspended. The self propelled toy is not shown in detail and can be of any desired configuration. The toy includes a recessed guide wheel 11 mounted on a drive spindle 12. The wheel 11 is recessed at 13 to form two substantially radially extending flanges 14. Fixed to the spindle 12 is a pinion 15 which meshes with reduction gearing 16 having an input pinion 17 driven by an electric motor 18.

The recess 13 is provided with ribs which grip the track 10. The toy can be provided with stabilising wheels which contact the surface on which the track 10 is laid.

Where the track 10 is suspended above the ground, the toy should have a configuration or carry a device which serves to counterbalance the wheel 11, reduction gearing 16 and motor 18.

The reduction gearing 16 and the motor 18 may be located below the axis of the wheel 11.

The motor 18 may comprise a clockwork motor instead of being an electric motor. Where the motor 18 does comprise an electric motor it may be driven from a battery or batteries carried on the toy.

The toy may include a further flanged or recessed guide wheel in contact with the track 10 to assist in guiding the toy along the track 10.

The track 10 can be laid in any desired configuration with ease and when the toy is placed thereon with the 3 wheel 11 in engagement therewith, the toy will be driven by the wheel 11 along the track and follow the configuration of the track 10.

Having described the principal working of the toy and track, reference will now be made to FIGS. 2 to 6 which show an embodiment of the toy in greater detail.

The toy comprises a basic body unit 20, which is shown as being rectangular but which can be of any suitable shape, a motor containing unit 21 and suitably shaped body shells 22.

The basic body unit is provided on its underside with a rectangular recess 23 and on its upper side with two parallel upstanding longitudinally extending ribs 24, which may be an integral part of the body unit 20 or formed by parts attached thereto.

The motor containing unit 21 has two flanged or recessed wheels 25, one or both of which are driven by the motor (not shown) provided within the unit 21. The wheels are adapted to be placed in frictional engagement with a track 26.

As previously stated, the motor may be either a clockwork motor or an electric motor adapted to receive electrical voltage from a battery or batteries carried in the motor unit 21 or in the body unit 20.

The motor containing unit 21 can be inserted into the recess 23 with the wheels 25 lowermost as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. When the motor unit 21 is located in this position the wheels 25 are placed in contact with the track 26 which has been laid in any desired configuration on a floor or other suitable surface and the toy will follow the track 26. The body shells 22 will be provided with stabilising wheels (not shown) when the parts are assembled in this manner.

Alternatively, the motor containing unit 21 can be mounted on the ribs 24 by any suitable means as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 by chain-dotted lines and in FIG. 4 in full lines. In this position the motor containing unit 21, ribs 24 and the upper surface of the body unit 20 form a longitudinally extending passage 27 into which the two wheels 25 extend and through which passes the suspended track 26a. The wheels 25 engage with the track 26a and serve to suspend the body unit 20 therefrom. The shells 22 are detachable from the body unit 20 and can be replaced by shells of a different shape giving differing configurations to the toy. For example, when the toy is intended to move along the track 2 6 laid on a floor, it may have the appearance of a motor vehicle as shown in FIG. 6, but when it is intended to move along a suspended track 26a its appearance may be changed to that of an aerial vehicle as shown in FIG. 4, such as an aeroplane or helicopter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 26. The motor containing unit 30 comprises a casing 31 which may be formed of a plastics material. The casing 31 is provided with external flanges 32 on its lower edge and bosses 33 having a bore 34 extending therethrough. The casing 31 is hollow and houses an electric motor 35 which is connected by leads 36 to a switch 37 having an operating number 38 which extends through a slot 39 provided in the upper Wall 40 of the casing 31.

The switch 37 is connected to electrical pick-up contacts 41 which are secured to the side walls 42 of the casing 31 and have a portion which extends below the bottom edge of the casing 31.

The motor 35 has a drive shaft 43 which is provided with a worm 44. Mounted in the casing 31 is a drive wheel 45 which comprises two radial flanges 46 and 47 separated by a worm wheel portion 48. The flange 47 is serrated to form a gear wheel whose function will be described later.

Also provided in the casing 31 is a flanged or recessed .wheel 49 and a lever 50 having a cam portion 51 hinged to the casing 31.

The basic body unit 52 comprises a hollow casing 53 provided with internal transversely extending flanges 54 4 and with a flange 55. The casing 53 is adapted to contain batteries 56 which supply electrical current to electrical contacts 57. Each contact 57 is in the form of a strip of metal.

On the upper part of the casing 53 there is formed a channel 58 the side walls of which are each provided with a longitudinally extending channel 59. Each electrical contact 57 has a portion which lies on the bottom surface of each channel 59.

The motor containing unit 30 can be attached to the upper side of the basic body unit 52, as shown in FIG. 12, by engaging the flanges 32 in the channels 59 and sliding the unit 30 along the channels 59 until the contacts 41 engage with the contacts 57. When in this assembled position the motor 35 is connected electrically through the switch 37 with the batteries 56. The worm wheel 48 and the wheel 49 both engage with a track 60 formed by a suspended rope or cable and which extends through the channel 58.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 the motor containing unit 30 can be received within the hollow body unit 52 with the contacts 41 again engaging the contacts 57. In this assembly the member 38 of the switch 37 extends into the channel 58 and is readily accessible. The wheels 45 and 49 protrude from the bottom of the basic body unit 52 and engage with a track 60 which is formed by a rope or cable supported in a flexible cradle 61.

The basic body unit 52, as shown in FIGS. 12, 15 and 16 can have attached to it a body shell 62 havingthe configuration of a helicopter body. The toy in this configuration is completed by a rotor 63 having a spindle 64 which extends through the bore 34 and is frictionally engaged with the track 60 so that as the toy moves along the track 60 the spindle 64 and thus the rotor 63 will rotate.

The body shell 62 can be easily detached from the basic body unit and replaced by a body shell 65 which as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 has the configuration of a motor vehicle and is provided with stabilisingwheels 66.

As will be seen more clearly from FIGS. 25 and 261 the body shell 62 has an inclined portion 67 which forms a chute leading from an inlet opening 68 and leading to an outlet opening 69. Balls 70 are inserted through the opening 68 and roll down the chute to the outlet 69. The passage of the balls 70 down the chute is controlled by a. lever 71 which is pivoted to the flange 55 of the body member 52 and a free end of the lever 71 carries a roller 72 which extends into the channel '58 below the track 60. Attached to the track 60 at desired locations are clips 73 which are bulbous and form a cam surface. Normally the lever 71 acts as a stop and prevents the balls 70 rolling to the outlet 69. However, when the roller 72 strikes one of the clips 73 the lever 71 is rocked about its pivot to allow a ball or balls 70 to roll to the outlet 69.

FIGS. 17 to 19 show a winch 74 which can be attached to the underside of the basic body unit 52'. The winch 74 comprises a casing 75 in which are mounted a winch drum 76 having a gear wheel 77 in mesh with a gear Wheel 78. The casing 75 is detachably fixed to the basic body unit 52 with the gear wheel 78 close to but out of contact with the gear 47 of the motor containing unit 30. When it is desired to operate the winch 74 the lever 50 mounted on the unit 30 is swung inwardly to cause the cam portion 51 to deflect the track 60 out of engagement with the drive wheel 45 and the motor containing unit 30 is then pushed a short distance along the channel 58 to engage the gear 47 with the gear wheel 78. The cam portion 51 is held in the operative position by lugs 50a provided on lever 50 contacting the slide surface of each channel 59 when the units 30 and 52 have been moved relatively to each other as shown in FIGS. 18, 19. The winch 74 can now be driven by the motor 35 and controlled by the switch 37. It will be appreciated that during this small sliding movement of the motor containing unit 30 along the channel 58 the contacts 41 will remain engaged with the contacts 57. When the winch 74 is no longer required the unit 30 is moved back to its original position on the body unit 52 and the lever 50 operated to remove the cam portion 51 from engagement with the track 60 thereby allowing the track 60 to be re-engaged with the drive wheel 45. The winch 74 may be provided with means to prevent the drum being roated when the gear 78 is disengaged.

FIG. 22 shows an arrangement in which the track 60 is partly suspended between two spaced apart ramps 79 and partly laid on a flat surface. The body shell 65 is provided on each side with a channel 80 and the bottom wall of each channel 80 is provided at its rear end with a recess 81.

Upon passing up a ramp 79 the toy is adapted to pick up a skip or bucket 82 which has two upstanding arms 83. The arms 8'3 are spaced apart by a distance'slightly greater than the width of the body shell 65 and each arm 83 is provided with a plate 84'which is pivoted to the arm, 83 at 85. Movement of the plate 84 about the pivot 85 is limited by a pin 86 carried by the plate 84 and which extends through a slot 87 provided in the arm 83.

Each plate 84 is provided with a roller 88 whose rotational axis is coincident with the pivot 85 and a roller 89 which carries a locking pin 90. The roller 88 is longer than the roller 89. a

In use, the skip or bucket 82 is placed just behind the ramp 79 up which the toy travels. The roller 88 automatically engages in the associated channel 80 and when positioned at the rear end of the channel 80 the weight of the plate 84 and roller 89 causes the locking pin 90 to move into the recess 81, thereby preventing the roller 88 from moving back along the channel 80 and becoming disengaged therewith.

The skip or bucket serves to counterbalance the toy as it moves along the suspended part of the track 60. Upon returning to the ramp 79 the roller 89 contacts a cam surface provided on the ramp 79 which serves to lift the roller 89 to disengage the pin 90 from the recess 81 and allow the rollers 88 to move out of their respective channel 80 and thus disengage the toy from the skip or bucket 82-.

In the embodiment just described the toy will only engage and disengage the skip 82 by movement of the toy in opposite directions, but it is possible to provide an engaging and disengaging system in which the skip can be engaged and disengaged with movement of the toy in one direction.

The switch 37 is preferably of the double pole, double throw type so as to enable forward and reverse drive to be effected as well as stopping of the motor 35.

It will be appreciated that body shells of any desired configuration may be fitted to the basic body unit and by utilising a rope or cable as the track enables the track to be easily laid out for use without the laborious interocnnecting of a number of lengths of track as is usual with most self propelled toys which are adapted to move along a track.

The toy and track may be sold in kit form with a selection of differently shaped body shells.

I claim:

1. A self propelled toy and a track, said track comprising a length of flexible line, said toy comprising a basic body unit having an upper part and a lower part, a motor unit, a motor housed in said motor unit, a guide wheel mounted in said motor unit, transmission means connecting said guide wheel to said motor, means for attaching said motor unit in a detachable manner to said basic body unit in alternative position, one of said alternative positions being such that said guide wheel is located on the lower part of the basic body unit to engage with the flexible line and the other alternative position being such that said guide wheel is located on the upper part of said basic body unit to engage with the flexible line.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein when the motor unit is attached to said upper part of the basic body unit there is formed between said motor unit and said body unit a passage into which said guide wheel extends and through which passes said line.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including replaceable body shells enclosing said basic body unit, and means for attaching said body shells to said basic body unit.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said motor unit to the upper part of said basic body unit comprises a longitudinally extending central channel provided on the upper side of said basic body unit, said channel having opposed side walls, a longitudinally extending channel provided in each side wall, flanges provided on said motor unit and adapted to engage in said longitudinally extending channels provided in said side walls to attach said motor unit to said upper side of said body unit.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said motor unit to the lower part of unit,.an electric motor housed in said motor unit, a guide wheel mounted in said motor unit, transmission means connecting said guide wheel to said electric motor, means for attaching said motor unit to said basic body unit in two alternative positions, one of said alternative positions being such that said guide wheel is located on the lower part of the basic body unit and the other alternative position being such that said guide wheel is located on the upper part of said basic body unit, said means for attaching said motor unit to the upper part of said basic body unit comprising a longitudinally extending central channel provided on the upper side of said basic body unit, said channel having opposed side walls, a longitudinally extending channel provided in each side wall,

flanges provided on said motor unit and adapted to engage in said longitudinally extending channels provided in said side walls, said means for attaching said motor unit to the lower part of said basic body unit comprising a hollow in said basic body unit, said hollow being open to the lower part of the unit, said motor unit being received within said hollow interior of said basic body unit when in the other alternative position, a battery being housed Within said basic body unit for supplying voltage to said motor, a switch housed in said motor unit for controlling the voltage supply to said motor, electrical contacts provided on said body unit, electrical contacts provided on said motor unit, said contacts on said body unit engaging with said electrical contacts provided on said motor unit in each of the alternative positions.

7. The combination as set forth claimed in claim 6 wherein there is included a winch, means for attaching the winch to the body unit, said winch including a gear wheel adapted to be driven by a gear provided on said guide wheel, means being provided to disengage said flexible line from said guide Wheel when said gear wheel of said winch is engaged with said gear provided on said guide wheel.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 6 further including replaceable body shells, means for attaching said body shells to said body unit and stabilizing wheels provided on some body shells.

9. The combination as set forth. in claim 6 wherein the flexible line is partly laid on a flat surface and partly suspended between ramps and the combination further includes a stabilizing member for said toy, means provided on said toy for automatically picking up said stabilizing member on reaching a ramp, said stabilising member stabilizing the toy as it moves along the suspended part of the line and means being provided on a ramp for automatically disengaging said stabilizing member.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said flexible line is partly laid on a flat surface and partly suspended between ramps, and the combination further includes a stabilizing member for said toy, means pro vided on said toy for automatically picking up said stabilizing member on reaching the top of a ramp, said stabilizing member having two upstanding arms adapted to receive the body shell between them, each upstanding arm being provided with a plate, means pivoting said plate to said arm, a first roller mounted on said plate, a channel in each side of the body shell adapted to receive said first roller, a second roller mounted on said plate, a locking pin provided on said second roller, a recess in one end of said channel adapted to receive said locking pin, a cam surface on one ramp adapted to be contacted by said second roller to lift the locking pin from said recess to enable said first roller to move out of engagement with said channel.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said guide wheel comprises a worm wheel which engages with said flexible line and is driven by a worm from said motor.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said basic body unit has mounted thereon a shell formed with an inclined chute, an opening in said shell leading to said chute, an outlet in said shell leading from said chute, lever means mounted on said body unit operable to control the passage of objects down said chute.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said basic body unit has mounted thereon a shell formed with an inclined chute, an opening in said shell leading to said chute, an outlet in said shell, lever means mounted on said body unit, a cam member clipped on said line to cause said lever means to move from a position in which it obturates said chute to a position in which it allows a clear passage down said chute.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,513 11/1945 Zwickel 46-77 2,481,686 9/ 1949 Roggenstein 46--2l2 3,000,138 9/ 1961 Tagliaferri 46-216 3,377,741 4/1968 Ryan 46-202 FOREIGN PATENTS 143,340 1953 Sweden.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner A. HEINZ, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 46-202, 204, 216, 244 

